It’s not just about flexibility

Hoping to retain your best employees and attract those most loyal to your company? It’s no secret that one way to accommodate new generations of talent is to offer job flexibitliy. Interestingly, a study by Harvard Business Review study sheds more light on this issue.

Employees Want Flexibility by Way of Autonomy

"In our new hybrid working study, we asked over 5,000 knowledge workers around the world what they wanted from the future of their work arrangement. 59% of respondents reported that “flexibility” is more important to them than salary or other benefits, and 77% said they would prefer to work for a company that gives them the flexibility to work from anywhere rather than fancy corporate headquarters.

However, with 61% of employees reporting that they would prefer if management allowed team members to come into the office when they need to and work from home when they need to, our data also shows that the flexibility they want is conditional upon their ability to exercise it in a way that best fits them. In other words, it’s conditional upon autonomy.”

READ: Forget Flexibility. Your Employees Want Autonomy.

And while flexiblitiy and autonomy are in high demand, it is not a simple solution when it comes to employee retention. Employees who are working in isolation may find themselves detached and their role at the company unsatisfying.

Autonomy vs. Satisfaction

Unfortunately, for employees empowerment doesn’t equal satisfaction. Full autonomy can also feel fully isolating. People have become exhausted by back-to-back virtual meetings. It's a one-way energy drain.

Change What You Can Control

As companies continue to fine-tune hybrid work policies, significant focus has been placed on physical space. Leaders must recognize that the purpose of the office has changed. Floor plans are shifting.

Designing Effective Workspaces

A company's space is something they control and influence. It can be designed in a way that helps employee teams be more effective. This is not just about employee satisfaction. It’s about building a sustainable and successful business.

CREDIT: The Rise of Autonomy in Job Interviews, by Spark, a Haworth publication

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